Page 44 - gs140202flipbook
P. 44
CoverStory
ColaŅ«o said. "This is providing consumers with visibility "There's an opportunity here to actually enhance the
of product lines, product reviews and affiliated products." customer experience with more self-service without
having to make a new capital expenditure, because the
For example, with an affiliate product program in place customer has already paid for the phone and they are
a merchant can alert a shopper that a blue shirt they're already on a data plan," Crone said. "The key is how
interested in has a matching tie, which happens to be in can you enhance an existing channel with this new
stock. Algorithms are able to track and analyze shopping connection point?" He suggested ISOs and MLSs can
trends, previous purchases and stock levels, making it step in to help retailers incorporate mobile into the
possible to adjust affiliate product recommendations in shopping experience.
real-time.
The next hurdle is determining how to use mobile
Add Wi-Fi device tracking to the mix, and merchants begin technology to connect with known, registered customers
to understand how shoppers interact with individual when most brick-and-mortar merchants do not know
brands, a potent tool when restocking shelves. Electronic who their customers are until shoppers approach
shelf-edge labels that connect to shopper devices using the POS to pay for products. "The single greatest
two-way radio frequency or Bluetooth low-energy (LE) opportunity is to change that paradigm, and it is a
technology also enhance the in-store experience by giving massive cultural change, moving to a CRM [customer
shoppers immediate access to promotional offers on relationship management] -based model where you
preferred items. know who your customers are, and yet you can identify
and communicate with them on their terms," Crone said.
Mobile thread
The inseparability of mobile devices and their owners Customers can opt in to receive relevant communications
presents a retail opportunity of such magnitude that based on preferences they select. "The way you do that is
most agree we're only beginning to scratch the surface. with an app," Crone said. "If you expect your customer to
"The thing to keep in mind about mobile is that it's a interact with you more than once digitally, you need an
cross-channel enabler," said Richard Crone of Crone app. The app enriches the opportunity to provide relevant
Consulting LLC. That's because mobile is present in value before, during and after the sale. It's something we
every other channel experience, whether a potential call the five trigger points." (See "The five mobile sales
customer is walking into a store, using an ATM or triggers" sidebar accompanying this article.)
logging onto the Internet.
44
ColaŅ«o said. "This is providing consumers with visibility "There's an opportunity here to actually enhance the
of product lines, product reviews and affiliated products." customer experience with more self-service without
having to make a new capital expenditure, because the
For example, with an affiliate product program in place customer has already paid for the phone and they are
a merchant can alert a shopper that a blue shirt they're already on a data plan," Crone said. "The key is how
interested in has a matching tie, which happens to be in can you enhance an existing channel with this new
stock. Algorithms are able to track and analyze shopping connection point?" He suggested ISOs and MLSs can
trends, previous purchases and stock levels, making it step in to help retailers incorporate mobile into the
possible to adjust affiliate product recommendations in shopping experience.
real-time.
The next hurdle is determining how to use mobile
Add Wi-Fi device tracking to the mix, and merchants begin technology to connect with known, registered customers
to understand how shoppers interact with individual when most brick-and-mortar merchants do not know
brands, a potent tool when restocking shelves. Electronic who their customers are until shoppers approach
shelf-edge labels that connect to shopper devices using the POS to pay for products. "The single greatest
two-way radio frequency or Bluetooth low-energy (LE) opportunity is to change that paradigm, and it is a
technology also enhance the in-store experience by giving massive cultural change, moving to a CRM [customer
shoppers immediate access to promotional offers on relationship management] -based model where you
preferred items. know who your customers are, and yet you can identify
and communicate with them on their terms," Crone said.
Mobile thread
The inseparability of mobile devices and their owners Customers can opt in to receive relevant communications
presents a retail opportunity of such magnitude that based on preferences they select. "The way you do that is
most agree we're only beginning to scratch the surface. with an app," Crone said. "If you expect your customer to
"The thing to keep in mind about mobile is that it's a interact with you more than once digitally, you need an
cross-channel enabler," said Richard Crone of Crone app. The app enriches the opportunity to provide relevant
Consulting LLC. That's because mobile is present in value before, during and after the sale. It's something we
every other channel experience, whether a potential call the five trigger points." (See "The five mobile sales
customer is walking into a store, using an ATM or triggers" sidebar accompanying this article.)
logging onto the Internet.
44
